1.0 Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to providing an apparatus for conditioned air and, more particularly, to a system that employs a cooling apparatus that provides personal cooling and heating, while at the same time provides ballistic protection for the user.
2.0 Description of the Prior Art
A person's ability to accurately and repeatedly perform assigned tasks is dependent, in part, on the temperature of the environment in which the person is placed. If this environment can be maintained at a relatively constant temperature, such as achievable by heating and cooling apparatuses, the ability of a person to perform the tasks increases.
A suitable environment is radically destroyed for persons employed in combat conditions where the persons are subjected to all-too-natural elements of weather, as well as dangerous conditions. In anticipation of the need to wage combat in inclement weather, all attempts are made to limit the exposure with the best possible garments so as to protect the armed forces from the extremes of hot and cold. Prolonged unprotected exposure to the elements markedly increases a fighting forces casualty rate, especially when those elements are at the extreme ends of the environmental spectrum, wherein one may experience hot temperatures during daytime operations with steep slides into low temperatures at night. The human body does not function at peak efficiency without some degree of protection against the environmental extremes. Hot weather requires light arid types of materials with footwear that is light and dries quickly. Cold weather operations require heavy coats, jackets, parkas and boots or multiple layers of a lighter-weight material. It is desired to provide one system or garment donned by an individual that meets the demands of the two different weather conditions.
In addition to extreme weather conditions, the armed forces are subjected to battle field conditions including chemical and/or biological warfare threat. It is desired to provide a garment donned by an individual that provides ballistic protection as well as protection from chemical and biological warfare threats.